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Top Ten Books to Share by Katherine Sokolowski

After fourteen years in the classroom, I know it’s coming. Towards the end of July my mind automatically begins to turn to the classroom. And as I set up the room, plan units and lessons, I also begin to plan the books I will share this year. Some titles have been shared before; some are new for this school year. All I am excited to share. The following is not an exhaustive list of the books we will discuss in my classroom this year, just the top ten I am excited about.

1. Leepike Ridge by N.D. Wilson

This is a newer book to me. I enjoyed Wilson’s book Dragon’s Tooth so I picked up Leepike Ridge. Thomas is eleven years old and takes a ride down a river one night and ends up swept away with the current and sucked into a series of underground caverns with no means of escape. Tom finds a dog, a dead body, graves, and a new friend while in these caverns searching for a way home.

2. The Secret of the Fortune Wookie by Tom Angleberger

This is one of two books on this list that I haven’t read yet. Why would I feel confident saying I know I will share this one? Because Tom Angleberger doesn’t steer us in the wrong direction. First there was Origami Yoda and Darth Paper. Don’t forget Horton Halfpott or Fake Mustache either! My students read Tom’s books as fast as he can write them.

3. A Meal of the Stars by Dana Jensen

A friend sent me this book this summer. What a fun book of poems. Each page has a poem and you have to decide whether you read it down or up. My youngest loves it and I love that it requires him to ask, “Does this make sense?” as he reads. Great for comprehension.

4. Babymouse for President by Jennifer Holm

This is the other book on the list I haven’t read yet. However I adore the first 15 Babymouse books so I know this is one I will be sharing this year. Haven’t met a 1st-5th grader yet that doesn’t adore Babymouse. This is a must-read and must-share series.

5. Roller Coaster by Marla Frazee

My students adore this picture book because it is fun. I love using it during writing workshop to discuss making “craft choices.” Whether it is in regard to punctuation (ellipses abound) or the placement of sentences, this is a wonderful book to share.

6. Hound Dog True by Linda Urban

I was introduced to Mattie in this wonderful novel last year. Quiet Mattie reminded me of another student in my class. In fact I usually have at least one “Mattie” each year. I left it on her desk in the fall with a note that said, “Read this, I thought of you.” She recommended it to others at the end of the year with the quote, “I knew Mrs. S saw me when she gave me this book. You might be a Mattie too.” This book lives in my heart.

7. The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate

Wow. I read this at the start of 2012 and automatically knew students would love it. The format, free verse poetry, is a favorite for many of them. But living in Ivan’s head; seeing the world the way he sees it; and his love for Ruby, Stella, and Bob make it memorable. This is a book that will be shared for years in my classroom.

8. I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen

This book made my fifth graders howl with laughter. They quickly joined teams – team rabbit, team bear, team armadillo. (??) We discussed the ending over and over. And they squealed with delight upon seeing rabbit and bear in Extra Yarn. The companion book This is Not My Hat comes out this fall. I know we will discuss it as well.

9. Wonder by RJ Palacio

A book has not stolen my heart like Wonder in a long time. Auggie is such an amazing character, but I think it is the whole story, seeing into other characters’ minds; understanding even good people make mistakes; understanding the consequences of small actions that make this an amazing book to read. This is my first read aloud of the year.

10. What You Know First by Patricia MacLachlan

This is my first read aloud of the year on the first day of school. It is also my last read aloud on the last day of school. I like the idea of talking about what we bring to the class on that first day and then talking about what we know that we are taking with us on the last day. It never fails to make me cry. I think it is the simplisticness of the text. I believe it is one of the most beautiful books ever written and I want my students to see the beauty of books to start and end the year with me.

So there you have it! Ten books that I know I will be sharing with my fifth graders this school year. How about you? Do you have any favorites you know you will be sharing? Please tell us in the comments.Katherine Sokolowski has taught for fourteen years and currently teaches fifth grade. She is passionate about reading both in her classroom and also with her two sons. When not recommending books to strangers in the library or the bookstore, Katherine can be found writing at her blog: http://readwriteandreflect.blogspot.com/. You can find her on Twitter as @katsok.

Reblogged this on live laugh love to learn! and commented:
I love to read to my students and love planning what to read. Here’s a great list of some titles that are new to me. I’m off to the library to check some of them out!

They sound like fantastic books. I wish I had of had a teacher that put such thought into books to read to the class (actually they didn’t read much to us at all… sigh). Still, I can remember one time a teacher read Under the Hawthorn Tree by Marita Conlon-McKenna. It was a book about the Irish Potato famine, very sad, but an absolutely amazing story. It really made me want to race to the library and gorge on reading!
Reading to the class is very inspirational- your students are very lucky!

I am adding the couple of books I haven’t read/don’t know to my list to read. I love being able to leave a book like Hound Dog True for just the right student. Or even the newest Babymouse or Tom Angleberger novel. Kids love to know that you thought of them. Keep up the great work Katherine.

Read alouds are an essential part of a well rounded literacy program. Thanks for sharing your latest selection. I’m heading to the library and will definitely check out the unfamiliar ones. I agree with many of the other followers. Your upcoming class is lucky that you are so prepared and excited about the books you share.

Thanks for this list! I just placed an order for several of them! I’m thinking my 5th graders might find it fun to have some discussions and maybe a vote between Babymouse for President, Bad Kitty for President, and Duck for President…and any other “for presidents” that pop up between now and November. I will for sure be starting the year with Wonder as my first read aloud!

Great list, Katherine! I’m familiar with most of them and agree they are wonderful books to share! Have you listened to the audio versions of The Strange Case of Origami Yoda and Darth Paper? They are WONDERFUL, and I decided to try out playing the audio version of Origami Yoda for my students instead of reading it aloud. They loved it! I showed them the pages on the Elmo as it played, and it worked great.

What a great list! As an elementary school librarian, I love hearing recommendations of books that touch people’s hearts and/or funny bone. I also love that you use picture books for mini-lessons, something I do, as well.

Two that I use with older kids for a poetry lesson on onomatopoeia are BEAR SNORES ON by Karma Wilson (with lines like “The coals pip-pop and the wind doesn’t stop.”) and Lita Judge’s RED SLED.